Electric wave indicator



Feb. 23, 1932. F. SCHNEIDER 1,845,910

ELECTRIC WAVE INDICATOR Filed March 1, 1928 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 FERDINAND SCHNEIDER, OI FULDA, GERMANY ELECTRIC WAVE INDICATOR Application filed March 1, 1928, Serial No. 258,242, and in Germany March 15, 1927.

Wave indicators (detectors, coherers and so forth) are known in which two electrodes have a gap between them, which when formed as an air gap, is filled with loose metal granules, whilst when the electrodes bear against one another these are separated at their adjoining faces by a mica insertion and there covered with metal granules or small sheets of metal. In the latter case hollow conical and also tubular electrodes were used hitherto which are preferably filled with small sheets of metal as a reagent mass which under the action of electric waves become an efficiently conducting bridge by reason of the ionization of the air between the small sheets.

By these means it became possible to effect has a greater sensitiveness as also a uniformity in response which was not hitherto obtainable; this wave indicator may also be loaded with larger quantities of current than was hitherto possible. These advantages are obtained firstly in that the wave indicator is provided with longitudinal slits, the walls of which serve as reagent surfaces, said slits being interrupted by an insulatin base, the longitudinal slits being formed by cutting cylindrically shaped electrodes longitudinally and mounting them with their end surface on a common insulating base. The separation may be effected in such a manner as to form, at the surfaces of the cut, double slits which lie in one plane for the action of electrical waves and thus form double reaction points which not only increase reception, but also insure a positive response. I

The electrode container may be filled with metal shavings, metal powder or preferably with small metal sheets as a reagent mass. The sensitiveness of such a wave indicator may be considerably increased by placing for example the small metal sheets, used as the reagent mass, under pressure whereby the air weights or other movable compressing means,

such as adjustable spring pressure or the like; a cyllndrical piston may also be moved towards the reagent mass by an air cushion or a vacuum may act on the mass in any suitable manner. A further advantage of the new wave indicator resides in the fact that it can be loaded with larger quantities of current by connecting a plurality of such indicators in parallel and thus the number of reagent points is simultaneously increased.

Finally the physical operation of the electrical waves is favoured in that the whole of the reagent mass does not rest on the walls of a transverse slit, but is supported along the longitudinal slits. It is, therefore, possible to make the electrode containers very high or very long, and to fill them with a very large quantity of reagent mass without the slits being overloaded as the total pressure of the reagent mass acts mainly upon the insulated base of the container when the electrodes are arranged vertically.

In all constructions proposed heretofore, particularly in the case of coherers consisting of two hollow conical electrodes bearing at their ends against one another through the medium of an interposed insulating ring, the reagent mass rested on the walls of the slit so that the mass thereof was limited as the gravity of the mass permitted of current leakages. In addition it was also necessary to tap the electrodes for the purpose of stopping the passage of current so that the socalled de-cohering was very difiicult.

According to the subject of the present in vention the de-ionization is effected by delicate tapping which is hardly audible.

The wave indicator is therefore particularly suitable for the operation of electric clocks the operation of which is controlled by electric waves.

An example of construction of the invention and a multiple arrangement thereof in parallel are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In this example of construction wave indicators arranged side by side and in the same plane.

the electrodes or the casing formed thereby are arranged vertically. The horizontal arrangement can also be adopted, but is not so advantageous as the vertical arrangement.

Figure 1 is an elevation, and

Figure 2 is a plan of the new wave indicator.

Figure 3 is an elevation thereof with the casing and Figure 4 shows a plan of a multiple arrangement in parallel.

On a base plate a of insulating material are secured the conducting electrode feet Z), c. Tothe foot I) is connected the semi-cylinder (Z of metal, whilst the other semi-cylinder 6 is connected to the foot 0. These semisolid material so that the container consists of two semi-cylinders which are insulated from one another. The inner space of the container serves for the reception of the reagent mass. One electrode 6, (Z is connected, by the contact screw 9, to the incoming conductor 70, whilst the other electrode 0, e is connected by the screw it to the conductor Z of the receiving circuit. 7

Figure 3 shows the tubular electrode casingwith the reagent mass 39, in this case very thin metal sheets. The container is surrounded by a cylinder or casing m of insulating material. The outer casing is higher than the electrode container within it and is closed by a separate cover n. For loading the reagentmass there is provided in the electrode casing a weight 2' which after removal of the covern is accessible and can be actuated.

In Figure 4,.which shows a number of connected in parallel, a is again the base plate of very eficient insulating material on which is secured the common electrode foot I) of metal on which are arranged at suitable intervals apart the semi-cylindrical electrodes (Z (Z (Z Parallel thereto there is secured the other electrode foot 0 with the semi-cylindrical electrodes 6 e 6 in such a manner that spaced electrode containers are formed sideby side the adjoining upright edges of which'are separated by insulating strips 7, f 7. The, electrode feet I), 0 are connected by h, Z and g, 70. respectively to the receiving circuit. In this multiple arrangement ofthe wave indicators in parallel all the reagent points formed by the double slits are arranged to lie Having thus described my invention what I claim as newand desire tovsecure by-Letters Patent is:

1. An electric wave indicator comprising two semi-cylindrical electrodes arranged side by side around a central chamber, the spaced longitudinal edges of said electrodes being located in the same plane, at diametricallyopposite points of said chamber, longitudinal insulating strips of solid material filling the spaces between the adjoining longitudinal edges of said electrodes and completing the surrounding wall of saidchamber, and a reagent mass of coherer character contained in said chamber.

2. An electric wave indicator comprising a plurality of upright longitudinal electrodes arranged side by side around an upright central chamber and having their adjacent upright longitudinal edges spaced from each other, a plurality of longitudinal upright insulating strips of solid material filling the spaces between the adjoining longitudinal edges of said electrodes and completing the surrounding wall of said upright chamber, a reagent mass of coherer character contained in said chamber, an insulating base located at one end of said chamber, an insulating casing surrounding said electrodes and strips, and a removable cover located at the upper end of said casing.

3. An electric wave indicator comprising a plurality o1": upright longitudinal electrodes arranged side by side around an up right central chamber and having their ad.- j acent upright longitudinal edges spaced from each other, a plurality of longitudinal upright insulating strips of solid material filling the spaces between the adjoining longitudinal edges of said electrodes and completing the surrounding wall of said upright chamber, a reagent mass of coherer character contained in said chamber, an insulating base located at one end of said chamber, an insulating casing surrounding said electrodes .and strips, aremovable cover located at the upper end of the casing, and a movable compressing means located between said cover and the reagent mass contained in said chamber. 7 7

4. An electric wave indicator comprising a plurality of longitudinal electrodes arranged side by side around a central chamber and having their adjacent longitudinal edges spaced from each other, a plurality of longitudinal insulating strips of solid material filling the spaces between the adjoining longitudinal edges of said electrodes and completing the surrounding wall of said chamber, a reagent mass of coherer character contained in said chamber, and a compressing means engaging said mass and movable lengthwise in the chamber surrounded by the electrodes. V

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

FERDINAND SCHNEIDER. 

